Episode 11: This is how believers are born

"a……?"

　When that girl...Marie woke up, she found herself lying down in a room somewhere.

　I look around in a hazy state of consciousness.

　It's a room I know.

　This was supposed to be a general store run by an old lady I knew.

"Am I alive...?"

　I thought for sure I was dead.

　Because she did something that deserved to be killed.

　And yet...I'm alive.

　When I put my hand to my chest, I could definitely hear my heart beating steadily.

"Oh, you woke up?"

"Grandma...?"

"You didn't have any external injuries, but you wouldn't wake up, so I was worried what to do. I'm glad you woke up safely."

　The old woman who owns the general store hands me a wooden cup.

　Marie grasped it with both hands and took a sip of the water inside.

"Are you aware of your situation?"

"The situation?"

　Marie tilted her head.

　Since she had committed theft, would that mean she would be caught by the authorities?

　If that's the case, I intend to submit to arrest without complaint. I have no intention of resisting.

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"So you haven't noticed?"

　The old woman took the cup from Marie's hand and handed her a hand mirror in return.

"Eh...?!"

　Marie looked in the mirror and her eyes widened.

　The face reflected in the mirror was unmistakably Marie's, but she looked more than five years older than she had ever known.

　I wonder why I hadn't noticed it before...my arms and legs have grown longer and my breasts have become fuller.

"I was surprised when that boy brought you here. I almost thought you were a different person."

"That person... That brother?"

"That's right."

"……Why?"

　I don't understand what it means.

　Even if I have a reason to be killed, there's no reason for me to be saved.

　And why is my body growing so much?

　I'm sure Uta did it, but I don't know why.

"Just thinking about it is pointless"

"grandmother?"

"If you live long enough, you meet a lot of different people, but that kid just isn't like an ordinary human being. There's no point in wondering 'why'."

　The old woman sighed and pointed to a corner of the room.

"That's... Huh!?"

　Seeing what was there, Marie couldn't help but cry out.

　Stacked in the corner of the room was a huge mountain of gold and silver.

　Gold and silver coins overflowing from the wooden box... they were things Uta had found at the moneylender's hideout and brought home.

"The kid came back a while after he left you and brought it over. He said he wanted it for you."

"M-me?"

　It's becoming more and more unclear.

　Marie has no right to receive money from Uta.

"That's why it's pointless to even think about it... That kid lives with a different perspective than us."

　He gives alms at whim and takes away at whim.

　Just as there is no reason for it to rain, there is no reason for the boy's charity.

"Well, you've caught the eye of a troublesome man... so what are you going to do now?"

"What should I do..."

"With this money you could do anything you wanted. You could set up a shop and start a business, or you could buy a house somewhere in the country and live a leisurely life... What are you planning to do?"

"...I can't spend that much money."

"Yes. If a girl without any backing had such a large fortune, even a good man would have a devil in his heart. He'd be completely drained."

　This enormous amount of gold and silver is nothing but a bomb to Marie.

　No matter how much she has grown, Marie is still an orphan, neither a noble nor a merchant.

　If the secret of this money were to become known, criminals, thugs, and slum dwellers would swarm and violently steal it.

"Keeping the money a secret and using it in small amounts... that would be the wisest option."

"Hohoho," the old woman laughed.

"Since you won't be able to take it home anyway, I'll keep the money for you. Of course, I'll get to take a little from it as payment, but... it's not an amount that an old woman with only a short time left in the world can spend. I won't take it from you, so you can rest assured."

"…………"

　Marie was deep in thought after hearing the old woman's words.

　With this money she wouldn't have any financial problems, but was it really okay to use the money she received through Uta's mercy on herself?

"Well, you should think carefully about how you spend your money. Life is long after all."

"…………yes"

　Marie nodded and clutched the bed sheets.

　If you ask me what I want to do, I would say that I want to atone for my sins and repay Uta for his kindness.

　But...I was certain.

　Uta has already left town, so we probably won't see him again.

What can I do for him? What can I do to make him happy?

　Marie was troubled, but she then decided to devote herself to community service and her faith.

　She gave the money given to her by Uta to the poor in a natural way, establishing orphanages and workhouses.

　He was spoken of by posterity as if he were a saint.